Freeway in the dark

Saturday, July 4, 2015

I think a lot about the nature of mediocrity these days. what does it mean to be mediocre? sometimes i think it means to be average, which isn't altogether a bad thing. the problem is when it means that there's a great deal of potential, and not enough execution.

it leads me to this fundamental question about how to conduct a life. is it ok to live life being content as you are, with no intentional forward progress? is it ok to surround yourself with friends who will take you to fun places, but won't have the hard conversations with you? is it ok to be lulled into a sense of false importance at solving the little problems, but avoiding the underlying root cause? more and more i find that the answer to this is yes, yes it is. but damned if i am going to be that way.

i've been trying to be more sympathetic these days, but it's hard when dealing with bitterness or resentment. what's easy is to say, fine-- if you've left me, then go forth and see what you achieve now, without me.

we're all of us gods in the chrysalis. mediocrity stems from seeing the beauty of the shell and mistaking it for the end game. so yes, if there must be a fundamental separation between you and me, let's make one thing very clear.

Monday, March 3, 2014

"People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in
working order so they'll have good voice boxes in case there's ever
anything really meaningful to say."
Kurt Vonnegut in Cat's Cradle

I think that's true. Especially of social media these days. I think we're addicted to all that fluff, the pictures of food, the 30th vague status, the irrelevant check in-- because we hope at some point, at some place-- we'll know someone who will say something meaningful.

Maybe somewhere among all the trash, is something worth reading. Something incendiary and sticky in your head, something other than how much fun your high school acquaintance had at mardi gras, or what the weather was like that day. Something worth a god damn shit.